Results 18,661-18,680 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 60 together. The new Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” proposes an “Early Retirement Allowance or Pension” for 65 year olds paid at the same rate as Jobseeker's Benefit without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work.   The new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Community Employment (CE) is a positive initiative that enables the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for employment opportunities that will become available.  The scheme can play an important role in breaking the cycle of long-term unemployment for some people and improve their chances of employment....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Information is not available on the number of applicants for Jobseekers Benefit in 2020 who did not meet all of the contribution conditions for eligibility for the scheme. This information is not collated. A person who is unemployed, available for and genuinely seeking work may be eligible for Jobseekers Benefit if they meet two contributions conditions.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The pandemic unemployment payment two-tiered payment structure was implemented by my Department on the July 7th 2020. Since it's introduction a total of 3,702 people that reported self-employed and PAYE income within the same year were in receipt of the low-tier PUP payment of €203. Of this number 2,563 people received the most recent PUP payment on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 216 together. The age range for eligibility to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is consistent with other social welfare income supports paid to people of working age.  People aged 66 years and over are provided for through the contributory State pension or the non-contributory State means tested pension. A person in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The last Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund was published in 2017.  This considered projections of income and expenditure out to 2071.  The projections underlying this report provide the following ratios. In 2016, there were 3.9 persons between 25 and 64 years of age for every person aged 65 years of age and over.  In 2026, this is projected to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 20,600 recipients.  The scheme provides short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The new Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them.  This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The aim of the Community Employment programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities.  The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.  Community Employment is generally open to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Credited contributions form an integral part of the social insurance system.  They are underwritten by the Social Insurance Fund and are designed to protect the social insurance entitlement record of insured workers who for reasons relating to either incapacity, ill-health, unemployment, early retirement, professional training or the provision of care are not in a position to make PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 64 and 83 together. The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.  To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a person must have been in employment immediately prior to the 13th March and lost their income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has requested employers to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children or other family members.  This may include offering paid compassionate leave, remote working from home, altering shift patterns around their partners work, bring forward annual leave entitlements, etc.  Where it is not possible to make appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 66, 68 and 80 together. As the Deputies will be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme.   CE sponsoring...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant.  Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2020 is expected to exceed €1.3 billion.  Carer's Allowance is a means tested payment made to people whose income falls below certain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: There is a range of supports put in place to provide assistance to families and individuals during the Covid 19 pandemic.  There has been a specific recognition in these measures of the needs of older people and those who are vulnerable who were asked to cocoon. In order to support vulnerable households during the COVID-19 emergency, my Department extended the fuel allowance season...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Lead responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.  The co-ordination of the services addressing the needs of these customers is managed by The Child and Family Agency, Tusla. The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through this joined-up service...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the publication of the July Jobs Stimulus which aims to stimulate economic and business recovery.  As part of this effort, my Department and the Department of Further and Higher Education and Training will deliver a package of income and employment support and training measures designed to help people maintain a strong income support and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The two-tier PUP payment structure was introduced for the payment week of July 7th 2020.  As the Deputy will be aware, this was introduced in order to better align the payments with prior earnings and those in receipt of the lower rate are continuing to receive a higher rate of payment than they were earning from employment.  Number of recipients of a €203 pandemic...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since the launch of the pandemic unemployment scheme, a total of 700,700 people have received at least one payment.  The most recent payment week (July 21st) saw 286,900people receiving the payment, which represents a fall of 52% since the peak of 602,100 payments recorded on the week of May 5th 2020. The July Jobs Stimulus Package contains a number of measures for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of this year, Ireland has witnessed unprecedented levels of unemployment.  Research published by my Department found that young people in particular have been hardest hit by the pandemic, and are over represented in the sectors most affected by public health restrictions (hospitality, retail and accommodation). Even though the...